Reviewed: Learn to Speak Italian v3.3

The download and installation of Learn to Speak Italian was typical, and no problems were encountered. The software is compatible with Windows versions 9x and higher, including Vista.

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While each of these individual modules of the software is easy to learn and use, there is no cohesive interface that links them together. That is, you have to run one application to use the dictionary, another one to use the reader, and so forth.

This may ease up the strain on system resources for those who only want to use one specific component, but it makes the package as a whole seem somewhat “clunky” and it can get annoying when you do want to access multiple modules.

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On the other hand, if you are just trying to get a feel for the Italian language or you are in the market for a desktop translator, the software does offer a number of benefits. In particular, the Reader Angel does a fairly good job when translating text to sound. So, if you have other text materials that aren’t accompanied by audio files, they can be pasted into the Reader Angel interface and allow you to actually hear how the spoken language should sound.

The software package retails for $29.95, much less than most other language learning applications. However, this is a fairly good trade off since other Italian language courses are generally more robust and have a more structured format. All in all, though, Learn to Speak Italian seems appropriately priced for the type of instruction it offers.

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On the plus side, the application is very lightweight so you won’t have to worry about it taking up valuable system resources, especially if you want to run it in the background. If you’re interested in trying it out for yourself, a free demo version is available.